title: Effects of an oral supplementation of germinated barley foodstuff on serum tumour necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-6 and -8 in patients with ulcerative colitis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The efficacy of germinated barley foodstuff (GBF) on tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and -8 (IL-8) in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) has not yet been examined. The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of administration of GBF on serum TNF-α, IL-6 and -8 levels in UC patients in remission.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-one patients with UC were divided into two groups, namely control and GBF group. Twenty-one patients in the control group received standard treatment while 20 patients in the GBF group received 30 g of GBF daily by oral administration during two months of the study along with standard drug therapy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Levels of TNF-α, IL-6 and -8 all decreased in the GBF group compared with baseline during the two-month study, while in the control group all values rose. For IL-6 and -8 this effect was significant, P = 0.034 and 0.013, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of the present study showed that the consumption of GBF may reduce the level of serum TNF-α, IL-6 and -8 in patients with UC. This investigation was designed as a pilot study and the results may provide a basis for more future clinical trials.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics, National Nutrition and Food Technology Research Institute, Faculty of Nutrition Sciences and Food Technology, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran.
authors.forename: Zeinab
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Faghfoori
authors.forename: Lida
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Navai
authors.forename: Rahebeh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Shakerhosseini
authors.forename: Mohammad Hossein
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Somi
authors.forename: Zeinab
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Nikniaz
authors.forename: Mohammad Fahmideh
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Norouzi
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000097:blood* / Q000628:therapy; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005260:Female; D018525:Germination; D001467:Hordeum / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood*; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D056692:Prebiotics; D012008:Recurrence; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D015850:Interleukin-6; D016209:Interleukin-8; D056692:Prebiotics; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha